Sheet cutting and feeding mechanism for printing-presses.



H` IVI. BARBER.

SHEET CUTTING AND FEEDING NIECHANISNI FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLlCATlON FILED DECJS. 1913.

Patented Nov. 21,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET1,

f//f/ M W24/M www H. IVI. BARBER.

SHEET CUTTING AND FEEDING IVIECHANISIVI FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I3. |913.

1,205,840. Patented Nov. 21, `1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. IVI. BARBER.

SHEET CUTTING AND FEEDING MECHANISIVI FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I3. 19I3.

Patented Nov. 2L 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Tns y HOWARD M. BARBER, OF STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGN- MENTS, TO C. B. COTTRELL & SONS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SHEET CUTTING AND FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

Application led December 13, 1913. v Serial No. 806,531.

T0 ZZ 'rv/2.0m it 'may concern Be it known that I, HOWARD M. BARBER, a.citizen of the United States, and resident of Stonington, in the countyof New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Sheet Cutting and Feeding Mechanism for Printing-Presses. of which the following is a speciiication.

The object of this invention is to provide means for cutting sheets ofdifferent lengths from a continuously moving web and to feed the sheetsthus cut in register to the printing mechanism.

This invention comprises means for vary- .ing the speed of the webaccording to the length of sheets to be cut therefrom.

It also includes coacting cutters rotating at a variable speed so thatat the moment of cut the cutting knives will travel at the speed of theweb.

It alsoincludes adjustable means for feeding the sheets from the cuttersto the printing mechanism.

Hy invention more specifically includes a group of web feed rollsarranged to be driven at different speeds so as to deliver the properamount of web. for any .desired length of sheet, to the rotary cutters.y

It also more specifically includes a sheet feeding means interposedbetween the rotary cutters and the printing mechanism, which meanscomprises three rotary sheet carriers, the first carrier beingadjustable toward and away from the rotary cutters and the secondcarrier being adjustable in a. curve and concentric to the axis of thethird rotary carrier. so that the three rotary carriers are kept incoactive relationship to each other and with respect to the cutters andthe printing mechanism.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying draw- :ings` in which- Figure 1 represents in sideelevation so much of a rotary sheet feed printing press as will give aclear understanding of the invention, Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectionshowing the parts in the positions which they assume when along sheet isbeing cut and -fed to the printing mechanism, Fig. 3 is a Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 15116.

similar view showing the parts in the positions which they assulne whena. shorter sheet is being cut and fed to the printing mechanism, F ig. 1is a detail section on an enlarged scale through the sheet feed rolls,Fig is a detail section showing the arrangement of the train of gearsfor feeding the proper length of web for the long sheet, and F ig. 6 isa similar section showing the train of gears for feeding the properlength of web for the shorter sheet.'

The printing mechanism illustrated herein comprises an impressioncylinder 1 and its plate cylinders 2, 3, 1 and 5.

The means illustrated herein for delivering the sheets from theimpression cylinder l comprises the transfer cylinders 6, 7 and thedelivery cylinder 8 Varranged to deposit the printed sheets in a pile onthe table 9.

It is understood that the printing mechanism and delivery mechanism maybe of any well known or approved construction and forms no part of thepresent invention.

The coacting rotary cutters are denoted by 10, 11, and their blades by12, 13. These cutters are provided with intermeshing gears l-t, 15, asis usual. These cutters make one revolution for each sheet cut from theweb and they are driven through a pair of elliptical gears 16A` 1T, fromthe shaft l18 at a variable speed so that the blades l2 and 13 `28 ofthe roll 22 is provided with a gear 29, which gear is driven from thegear 30 on the shaft 18 through' the gears 31. 32, mounted on the idlershaft 33, which sha ft is movable in a curved path concentric with theshaft 18. The surface speed of the rolls 20, 21, 22, 23, may be variedby introducing a larger or smaller gear 32. For instance, where a longsheet is to be cut and fed to the printing mechanism, the web is fedmore rapidly by the introduction of a large gear 32, as shown in F ig.5, and Where a shorter sheet is to be cut and fed the web is driven at aslower speed by introducing a smaller gear 32. 1t is evident that thespeed of the web can, by this means, be accurately adj usted to feedthedesired amount for any desired length of sheet.

Sheet feed rolls 34, 35, are located below the rotary cutters 10, 11,and are geared together through the gears 36, 37. The feed roll 35 isprovided with a slip clutch connection 38 between it and its shaft 39 sothat the tail end of a sheet may be drawn from between the two rolls ata greater speed than the speed of the rolls when so desired as willhereinafter more fully appear.

The shaft 39 of the feed roll 35 is driven from the shaft V40 of thevwebfeed roll 23 through the bevel gears 41, 42, vertical shaft 43, and wormand gear 44, 45. Guides 46, 47, serve to guide the web from the rotarycutters 10, 11 to the feed rolls 34, 35. The shaft 18 is drivenfrom theimpression cylinder gear 48 through the train of gears 49, 50, 51, 52,53.

The adjustable means for feeding sheets of different lengths to theprinting mechanism comprises three coacting rotary carriers, in thepresent instance reels 54, 55,

" 56, which are driven at the proper speed chine.

from the impression cylinder gear 48 through the gears 57, 58, 59. r1`heshaft 60 of the third reel 54 is mounted in fixed bearings in themachine frame. The shaft 61 of the second reel 55 is mounted to move ina curved path concentric with the shaft 6() of the third reel'54. Theshaft 62 of the rst reel 56 is mounted in suitable bearings in thesliding carriages 63 at both sides of the machine.

The first reel 56 is movable in a right line toward and away from thefeed rolls 34, 35, by means of a screw shaft 64, which engages atraveling nut 65 on each of the carriages 63. Each of these screw shaftsis mounted in upper and lower bearings 66, 67, and is rotated through aworm and gear connection 68, 69, from a cross shaft having'a suitableoperating handle 71 at one side of the ma- Tuckingl disks 72 have theirshafts 73 mounted in suitable bearings in the carriages 63.

The web as it passes through the rolls 34, 35, is guided downwardly tothe first reel 56 between a fixed guide 74 and an extensible uide 75,one end of which extensible guide is attached to a spring roll 76 andthe other end of which extensible guide is attached to the carriages 63.

The shaft 61 of the second reel 55 is slidable i-n the curved slots 77in the frame. The shafts 60 and 61 are connected through rocking arms 78and the shafts 61 and 62 are connected through the rocking arms 7 9. Itis understood that thereis a. slot 77 in each of the side frames andthat there are two setsof arms 78, 79.

rlhe grippers on the first reel 56 are denoted by 80, the grippers onthe second reel 55 by 81, and the grippers on the third reel 54 by 82.The grippers 80 on the first reel 56 are opened to receive the advanceedge of the sheet and closed upon the same by suitable tumbler cammechanism 83. These grippers are opened to transfer the advance edge ofthe sheet to the grippers 81, of the second reel by a cam 84 on one ofthe arms 7 9. rlhe grippers 81 on the second reel are opened to receivethe advance edge of the sheet from the grippers 80 of the first reel andare open to transfer the advance edge of the sheet to the grippers 82 ofthe third reel irrespective of the position of the reels 55 and 56 withrespect to each other and the reel 54, by means of a divided cam 85, 86,one part secured to the arm 79 and the other part to the arm 78.

The grippers 82 of the third reel are opened to receive the advance edgeof the sheet from the hgrippers 81 of the second reel by a cam 87 on oneof the arms 78 and these grippers 82 are opened to transfer the advanceedge of the sheet to one of the grippers of the yimpression cylinder bymeans of a cam 88 carried by the side frame.

The shaft 33 which carries the intermediate gears 31, 32, is movable inthe curved elongated slots 89 concentric with the shaft 18 forpermitting the introduction of gears 32 of different diameters accordingto the speed which it is desired to drive the web 19.

In operation, presupposing the parts to rbe in the position shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 5, for the cutting of a long sheet from the web andthe`feeding of the same to the printing mechanism: The proper size ofgear 32 is introduced for driving the web feed rolls 20, 21, 22, 23, atthe proper surface speed to feed the web 19 at the desired speed forcausing the cutters 10, 11, to sever a sheet of the desired length. Theelliptical gears 16, 17, are then adjusted rotatively with respect tothe shaft of the rotary cutter 11 so that the blades 12, 13, will cutthe sheets when traveling at the surface speed of the web. The feedrolls 34, 35, will be driven at the desired speed from the shaft 40 ofthe feed roll 23. The first reel 56 is adjusted so as to take theadvance edge of the sheet at about the time when the sheet is severedfrom the web.

rIhe tuclring disks 72 serve to insure the introduction of the advanceedge of the sheet into the grippers 80 of the first reel. This reel thentransfers the sheet to the second reel and the second reel transfersvthe sheet to the first reel. This third reel transfers the sheet to theimpression cylinder. i

When a shorter sheet is to be cut and fed, a gear 32 of the proper sizeis introduced for driving the feed rolls 20, 21, 22, 23, at the desiredspeed for feeding the web to the cutters at the slower speed requiredfor the shorter sheet. The elliptical gears 16, 17, are then rotativelyadjusted with respect to the shaft of the cutter 11 so that the blades12 and 13 will cut the shorter sheet from the web while traveling at thesurface speed of the web.

The feed rolls 34, 35, will be driven at the surface speed of the webfrom the shaft 40 of the feed roll 23. The first reel 56 is adjustedupwardly by the turning of the screw shafts 64 until the reel isadjusted in the proper position for receiving the advance edge of theshorter sheet at about the time the sheet is severed from the web. rlhisvertical adjustment of the first reel 56 will move the second reel 55around the third reel 54 without disturbing the coactive relationship ofthe reels with respect to each other and with respect to the impressioncylinder.

As the surface speed of the reels is not changed for the differentlengths of sheets, it is found desirable to use a tumbler cam mechanismfor opening and closing the grippers 80 of the first reel and it is alsofound desirable to provide the roll 35 with a slip clutch connection sothat when the grippers 80 close upon the advance edge of the shortersheet the tail end of the sheet may be pulled through the rolls 34, 35,at a surface speed greater than the surface speed of the said rolls. Ifso desired, these feed rolls 34, 35, may be put out of operation for thehandling of the longer sheets, as the grippers on the iirst reel may beadjusted to receive the leading edge of the sheet just before the sheetis severed from the web.

It will be seen from the above description that a machine is providedwhich may cut sheets of different lengths from a continuously runningweb and feed the same to the printing mechanism, the parts being veryreadily adjustable to suit the different lengths of sheets being cut andfed.

It is evident that changes might be resorted to in the form,construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limitmyself strictly to the structure herein set forth, but

lVhat I claim is 1. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them toa printing mechanism, a web, means for cutting sheets of differentlengths therefrom and means for feeding the different length sheets tothe printing mechanismincluding a plurality of coacting rotary carriersand means for bodily adjusting said carriers without changing `theirsurface speed or coactive relationship.

2. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means driven at a varying speed for cutting sheets ofdifferent lengths therefrom at the surface vspeed of the web and meansfor feeding the different length sheets to the printing mechanismincluding a plurality of coacting rotary carriers, and means for bodilyadjusting said carriers withoutchanging their surface speed or coactiverelationship.

3. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means for cutting sheets of diHerent lengths therefromand means for feeding the different length sheets to the printingmechanism including a plurality of coacting rotary carriers, one ofsaidcarriers being adjustable toward and away from the sheet cutting means.

4. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means driven at a varying speed for cutting sheets ofdifferent lengths therefrom and means for feeding the different lengthsheets to the printing mechanism including a plurality of coactingrotary carriers, one of said' carriers being adjustable toward and awayfrom the sheet cutting means.

5. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means for cutting sheets of different lengthstherefrom and means for feeding the different length sheets to theprinting mechanism including three coacting rotary carriers, and meansfor bodily adjusting two of said carriers without changing their surfacespeed or coactive relationship.

6. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means driven at a varying speed for cutting sheets ofdifferent lengths therefrom at the surface speed of the web and meansfor feeding the different length sheets to the printing mechanismincluding three coacting rotary carriers, and means for bodily adjustingtwo of said carriers rotatively without changing their surface speed orcoactive relationship.

7. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means for cutting sheets of different lengthstherefrom and means for feeding the different length sheets to theprinting mechanism including three coacting rotary carriers, the firstbeing adjustable toward and away from the sheet cutting means and thesecond being adjustable about the third.

8. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a

Web, means driven at a varying speed forfirst being adjustable towardand away from the sheet cutting means and the second being adjustableabout the third.

9. In, a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means for feeding it at different uniform speeds,means driven at a Varying speed for cutting sheets of different lengthsv therefrom at the surface speed of the Web feeding them to a printingmechanism, a

. the printing mechanism including three co- Web, means for feeding itat different i speeds, means driven at a varying speed for cuttingsheets of different lengths therefrom at the surface speed of the vveband means for feeding the different length sheets to the printingmechanism including a plurality of coacting rotary carriers, one of saidcarriers being adjustable toward and avvay from thesheet cutting means.

12. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a

Web, means for feeding it atv different speeds, means driven at avarying speed for cutting sheets of different lengths therefrom at thesurface speed of the Web `and means for feeding the different lengthsheets to acting rotary carriers, tWo of said carriers y beingadjustable.

13. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means for feeding it at different speeds, means driven.at a varying speed for cutting sheets of different lengths therefrom atthe surface speed of the vveb and means for feeding the dierent lengthsheets to the printing mechanism including three coacting rotarycarriers, the first being adjustable toward and away from the sheetcutting means and the second being adjustabl'e about the third.

14. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means for feeding it at different speeds, means drivenat a varying speed for cutting sheets of different lengths therefrom atthe surface speed of the Web and means for feeding the different lengthsheets to the printing mechanism including three coacting rotarycarriers and a common means for adjusting the position of the firstcarrier with respect to the sheet cutting means and the position of thesecond carrier with respect to the first and third carriers.

15. In a machine for cutting sheets and feeding them to a printingmechanism, a web, means for feedingA it at different speeds, meansdriven at a varying speed for cutting sheets of different lengthstherefrom `at the surface speed of the web -and means for feeding thedifferent length sheets to the printing mechanism including threecoacting rotary carriers and a common means for adjusting the firstcarrier in a right line tovvard and away from the cutters and the secondcarrier in a curved line concentric with the axis of thc third carrier.

16. A web, means for feeding it at different uniform speeds and meansdriven at a varying speed for cutting sheets of different lengthstherefrom at the surface speed of the web.

17. A pair of coacting rotary cutters, a- Web, means for feeding it atdifferent uniform speeds 'to the cutters and means for rotating thecutters .at a varying speed to cause the cutters t0 operate on the webWhile traveling at the surface speed of the web.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two Witnesses, this ninth day of December, 1913.Y

- HOWARD M. BARBER. Witnesses:

A. R. STILLMAN, E. M. GRANT.

